My Enlightening Visit Home, My Lady Reimu
by WillieG.R
Summary: *A Sukima series spin-off* Rika returns to her world to the future of the Earth for her yearly checkup, however ends up involved in more than just a mere checkup.
1. Righteous Self

It's early morning at the Hakurei Shrine, and Reimu and Rika, accompanied by Mima and the half-awake Suika, sit on the small table, drinking warm cups of tea on the cold morning.

Outside blows a light snowstorm chills the inside of the shrine a little more, so Rika rushes to wrap her mistress with a warm blanket before beginning her tale.

Rika stares into Reimu's eyes and asks "where to start...?"

Reimu sighs and says "tell me everything, Rika. From the moment Yukari took you away."

Rika looks away from Reimu, trying to hide her eyes, but Reimu is cunning and quickly says "so you rather not tell your lady Reimu anything? You want her to figure it all out on her own, huh? That's fine. I'm good at figuring things out anyway."

Rika panics and shouts "alright, alright! I'm sorry, my lady! I didn't mean to offend you!"

Reimu lifts her arm in front of herself and says "relax... Now, tell me all that happened to you. Why all of this? What did you do to deserve all of this contempt?"

Rika sighs and says "my lady, It's not all that bad. ...Well, I went back for my yearly checkup, as planned, but things were a little different from when I left... And some things happened there, my lady. Wonderful, sad, scary... but I am glad..."

-

At a waste land full of mechanical scraps everywhere, a place where a battle had taken place, now just a land littered with the remnants of both the dead and moving, and unmoving metal.

Now it's just a place for the calm wind to peacefully pass by, counting, or maybe not counting, but passing by the victims on the ground, where all living return to, and there, the sun sets its eyes for the world to see a new day has begun.

Somewhere in that silent battle field a strange black hole opens in the air like zipper with a set of eyes inside that stare silently at anyone who may stare back, and from it comes a girl who we already know as Rika, emerging from that black Hole and into that waste land, still not noticing her surroundings.

She stretches her arms feeling the breeze of the air blow on her hair and face, and taking a Deep Breath of that fresh air, she hears and notices another black hole, the same as hers, open up, and from it comes out Yukari with her parasol at hand and still maintaining a smile while hiding it with her fan she notices Rika right away and with a smile on her face she says "how did you like the ride?"

Rika stares blankly at her then says "not as refreshing as the air here" with a smile on her face that only tells she speaks so naturally about it.

Yukari's smile widen as she responds to Rika "well, I am glad you enjoyed it. You will have another nice ride ones I come pick you up later."

Rika just smiles with a sweat drop on her face as she says "r-right……. Typical and playful from you miss Yukari."

With that last statement, both of them giggle for a while.

Rika then looks at her surroundings, and while she does that, she says "well, better get this over with so I can return to lady Reimu. I don't know if she can handle herself right or if she is eating…………………..Eh?"

With a shock in her eyes she notices the dead battle zone, and with wide round white eyes she says out loud "EEEHHHHH?!?!"

-

After taking some time to recover from the shock, Rika waves her hands at Yukari from afar, while she waves back at her before she enters the black hole again.

Rika told Yukari that she would handle herself and she knows what it's like to be in war, and reassures Yukari to not worry about her and tell her mistress that she will return as soon as 3 days.

Once she is out of sight, Rika set her eyes on what's beyond the battle field, ignoring the scraps of metal as well as preventing herself from making eye contact with dead body's around.

Once she is on clear grounds she sprints ahead, leaning her body in forward, and as she runs she looks at her Saboten Campus and adjusts her destination while saying "alright, got to get back to the base as fast as possible" then she increases her speed, still wondering when will she reach her destination.

-

Meanwhile, a large air craft that hovers with power from below instead of the back, green colored and with marks of stars shaped on both sides of it, with the name "Tri-Star" also colored in light Green, approaches the area where Rika is right now.

Inside it there are 3 girls, each in a different seat navigating the craft.

The one in the middle seat who has short green hair, keeping her side burns shoulder-length, and gray eyes; wears an open green long-sleeved jacked over a white long-sleeved blouse, a red ribbon around her neck, large round glasses, and a blue short skirt, who also appears to the their leader.

She looks to her left, then her right, then asks "any survivors Felia?"

The one in the right seat who looks just like a little girl, with Blue eyes, short blue hair, wears a pink long-sleeved blouse, a light yellow skirt, a split tip pink cap with round white fluffs on both tips, and carries a green cactus doll with hersays with a monotone normal voice like it was nothing "nothing her~……………ah, wait…there's one!"

The one in the middle replies in fast fashion "Really?!?!Where?!?When?!?Why?!?"

The one on the left side of the seats, who has Pink shoulder-length hair, gray eyes, wearing a blue long-sleeved blouse over a black sleeveless shirt, a green mini-skirt, thigh-high black stockings and has a small headphone and microphone on her left ear sighs and says in a bored tone "Tolia, haven't you gotten used to her lies already?"

With a sarcastic tone, she adds "you should see through her IMAGINARY ways of seeing the future by now."

Tolia Snaps out of it and just shrugs while saying "this isn't the time for fun! Many lives are at stake so don't take things lightly here. We need to support those out there as best as possible" then sighs, ignoring Felia's blank Expression that always stays the same.

She looks to the left seat and asks "Ilia, are we good for one more spin around this area?"

Ilia, with a casual face, says "hmm………….. We are good for 2 more rounds before we have to turn around….. Your call, leader."

Tolia gets a determined loon on her face and says "alright let's do our best! Don't let your Guard down now, we need to find as many survivors as possible", and with authority in her tone of voice, she says "and that includes you miss FUTURE READER!"

Even after speaking in such tone, it does little to the blue-haired girl as she says in a monotone voice "hai~~~"

-

Rika has been running on the clear deserted fields for almost an hour now.

The battle zone that was so close before can no longer be seen, and as she runs she thinks "how much distance did I cover already, and how much longer will it take to reach the base before I get tired?"

With those thoughts in her head she gets worried, but shakes her head and moves along speeding up some more, and while she keeps sprinting about, not too far away, the Tri-Star craft approaches her, and inside it Felia says "got a life reading……………"

Tolia with a panicked voice says "WHAT?!?!WHERE?!?!AND DON'T YOU DARE LIE TO ME PINKY!!!"

Felia just "hmph" at her and says with a stern voice "it's close by. Displaying in on main screen now."

The screen in the middle displays a person running at somewhat too high a speed for a human.

Tolia looks at Felia with a dead serious face as she notices that, then mumbles about being no fun, and then she taps some things on her Command Control monitor, then the screen focuses on the moving object, revealing Rika sprinting at high speeds.

They all notice her, then Tolia points at the screen and exclaims "isn't…………isn't she that Girl? ......Isn't that RIKA?!?!"

All 3 Girls nod at the same time with Ilia asking "shouldn't we pick her up? She did tell us she would come back, but she didn't say it was so soon! But nonetheless……….."

Tolia interrupt her and says "yes…………let's do that or miss VIVIT will have our heads, should anything happen to her."

They all turn pale at the same time at that thought of VIVIT going on a rage, and not just destroying their craft, but at destroying them too.

They dismiss the thought and increase their speed to approach her.

Once they get close, Rika spots them and notices the Tri-Star mark at the side of the plane which tells her what she needs to know.

She waves her hands at them while still running at high speeds as they approach the ground beside her and fly close by, then a strange sound comes out loud from the craft saying "ahhh…..testing testing…..1..2..3..testing…1..2…3*SMACK*…………. You like the mic too much; you always keep doing this!!! GROW UP!! ...Ahh…………. Hi there Rika, what are you doing here in the middle of a deserted Area? Did you just arrive at the wrong place, or did you just happen to join in the rescue Squad?"

Rika stares for a while at that, then she answers with a smile while still running "glad to know that the Dynamic Stars are doing fine and well"

She says this with an innocent smile at her face, while Tolia, in a very loud voice while a vain appears at her forehead says "it's the TRI-STARs you got it!!? The T-r-i-STARs!!!!!!" then Rika with a sheepish smile while rubbing the back of her head says "oh…..sorry didn't mean to offend you."

Tolia with a vain still on her forehead thinks "if it wasn't for miss VIVITs warning I would let you taste the power of this craft first hand" then sighs and drops her hands in defeat and says "then again she didn't mean it. She is just being nice even though she got it all wrong"

She then looks at Rika from her monitor and says "ok, hop in! We might need all the help we can get since things have already calmed here since the end of war."

Rika looks at the Craft with confusion on her face.

Tolia notices that and answers for her "we are looking for people that might still be alive and out there, waiting for someone to find them."

At that Rika's eyes gets a little wide, then with a determined face she says "I would gladly help with what's needed!"

Tolia smiles at that remark, thinking "she's a good Girl alright" and they lower the craft for Rika to jump on.

-

Inside the Craft, they fly around searching more for survivors when Ilia gets up from her seat saying in a loud voice "we got a call from one of the rescue squads on ground search, though its only in voice"

Tolia looks at her and in a serious voice she says "relay it on the main monitor and answer it!"

Ilia immediately says "right!!" then plays it on main monitor for everyone in the room to hear, and with that she answers the call saying "this is fly rescue unit Tri-Star, can you read me?"

A stern male voice answers back "this is Ground rescue squad unit Nightburn. We suffered heavy damage on our unit and there are only 2 members left. Requesting permission to proceed with the rescue mission."

Ilia answers with a stern voice "negative, I repeat, negative squad Nightburn. You need to return. As much as we want to save lives your units are also part of those lives"

There is no response from the male except for a "tch" then Ilia asks "don't they understand, their lives are also on the line out there? They still want to go through that; man I wish I could understand their stupid minds" then she gets surprised by Rika taping her shoulder and saying in a soothing voice with a smile on her face "and we have to back up those stupid ones so they can live and learn from their mistakes."

Ilia stares for a while at Rika, analyzing what she said, then she sighs with a smile and says "guess I can't beat that logic" then gives up and looks at their leader, who's in deep thought, then snaps back and says to the already smiling Rika "as much as I want to compliment that Holy smile and act of yours, there is only one way to back them up, as we are prohibited of ever having contact with the Ground unit"

Rika Stares confused for a while, then snaps and catches on saying "if that's the only way then so be it... Can you drop me somewhere close to where the unit is? Also, can you find me something that I can use to defend myself with?"

Felia gets up and in her still monotone voice says "follow me… I got just the thing…"

Rika pats the small girl which makes her change her expression into embarrassment, as she blushes after what Rika did to her, but doesn't hate it either.

She moves on while Rika still pats her saying "there, there, good girl"

They arrive at a door with a yellow sign with large black letters that says "WARNING, Generator Room"

Rika looks at Felia and asks "are you sure this is the room sweetie?"

Again, the little girl blushes, then says "yes, I am sure you can find what you want there."

Rika, taking her words at heart, enters the room along with her, without hesitation.

Once inside she notices a sword on a pile of many other things, from weapons, to gadgets, and other stuff.

She takes it and unsheathes it to find that it's still perfectly fine and well made.

As Felia points out many other things at her, Rika interrupts her by saying "I think this works for me just fine."

Felia looks at what Rika is holding, then with a smile says "ahh, this sword draws someone's affinity and turns it real within the blade."

Rika looks again at her and pats her head, much to the little girl's delight, and says "thank you for letting me know that. Now, could you please back away a little, so I can test it?"

The girl nods with a blush and moves some steps back, then Rika holds the sword to her middle-right side, then unsheathes the sword out fast and swings with blinding speed much to Felia's awe.

She then sheathes her sword back with the little girl still staring with awe, then Rika says "phew……….guess this might work."

She then nods to herself, only to notice a crack that opens right behind her. She turns to realize with a shock that she has mistakenly hit the generator, causing it to slightly spark then shut down.

Tolia's scream being heard from afar, shouting "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO THE SHEILD~~!!?"

From the sound of her voice, she seems to be in panic. The two girls rush back into the main cabin and Rika tells them what happened saying she is sorry and bowing all the time.

Tolia just sighs and says "don't worry about it! It can be fixed! Now…… we've already arrived at the destination, so get ready bounce off!"

Rika stops her apologize frenzy and then nods to her and says to all "thank you for the ride", then ones the craft reaches the ground, Rika gets down and scans her surroundings, looking for the 2 men left of the Nightburn Unit.

-

Rika looks around the area she is standing on, scanning for the two survivors of the unit called Nightburn.

After a while she spots two armored men with helmet covering their heads and holding what look like laser guns, both looking the same as each other.

Both notice Rika from afar and begin approaching her. Rika hears both of them talk as they get closer to her.

The first one says "see? I told you we would find a survivor! You owe my lunch today, my friend."

Then the second answers with a defeated voice "alright alright, you win! Lunch is on me today so take it easy!"

After listening to both of them, Rika frowns, her cheeks puffing up, and in a scolding tone of voice says "I am not a survivor here!! I am the support you requested a while ago!"

Both look dumbfounded at Rika after what she said, then the first man replies "but you don't look like you can handle much. Besides, we requested a back up, not a lone person."

The second one sounds happy as he says "hah! The bet is still on, my friend"

While the man looks at his friend with a defeated face, Rika face palms her forehead while watching them argue on about their bet thinking "ararara……. This seems like it's going to be a long trip….. Wait a minute… this sounds familiar..."

-

The now group of 3 people run on the open field, Rika trying to run as slowly as possible so the 2 look alike can keep up with her, leading on while searching for survivors.

The first one in a disappointed voice asks his partner "since when she become the leader?"

Not knowing when did all this happen to them, sighing at his partner, the second answers "seems while we were still arguing about that bet, my friend, we got on her wrong side somehow."

The first replies "well, just look at her! She can't be that strong at all, can she? I mean, she is even close to half our height, plus she is only carrying a sword."

The second one answers "well, we already pissed her off enough by saying she isn't capable of protecting even herself. Lucky us she isn't that hot tempered and just politely told us she is more the capable of protecting herself... In fact… she said she can even protect us. Arrg…! That kind of pisses me off! We can't let our pride slide like that you know?"

They both look at Rika's back now, as she runs in front of them. They both sigh in defeat, let the subject drop and just fallow her lead.

The first one mumbles "women..." while the second one quietly sweats and hopes Rika did not hear him say that.

-

After a while of running around Rika and company arrive at a place that looks like a scrap heap.

Rika, slowing her pace a little so they can look around, notices destroyed pieces of metal everywhere which makes the Group think that a small battle took place, making this the perfect place to search for survivors.

At the time, Rika notices a presence around her, lurking in the ruble, hiding from sight, and ready to attack at any moment.

Rika gestures with her hand for both of her companions to stop, then gestures at them with her hands, signaling them to hide behind boulders.

The 2 men, knowing what to do, hide behind the remaining boulders of some wrecked buildings while Rika stands her ground and scans the area.

Just when she notices that the presence in hiding is readying itself to attack, she jumps out of the way, hiding in a small crater while the presence in hiding charges a quick attack, blowing dust as it makes its way, but quickly realizes it missed Rika.

-

Rika continues to hide while she takes a good look at what she's is up against.

She identifies it as remote controlled machine monster..., this version though, looks like a giant spider machine with a large spiked mouth that looks like a grabbing claw.

As luck would have it, she also knows its weak point, which is the generator located at the middle of the spiders body.

She formulates a plan in her mind and starts acting it out, gesturing for both of her companions with her hands to attack the monster with the purpose of distracting it and backing her up.

She thinks "I am sorry miss Aya, but I think I will use one of your moves…. Please forgive me."

She takes a deep breath and then gestures with her hands, signaling the start of the plan.

Both of Rika's companions, seeing the signal, start shooting at the spider from their hiding spots, getting its attention to them, while Rika takes the chance to sprint toward the monster and get close enough before holding her sword to her side.

She then unleashes a swift strike that carries the air with it, shouting the move's name at the same time "Gust Sword!"

A small wave of air moves along the ground toward the monster.

Rika moves her sword again with the same as the last movement, only this time, waving from both sides and creating two waves at the same time, which follow the first wave from behind.

The monster notices the attacks, but it's too late and the two waves that were following the first, arrive before the first one does, each striking one of the spiders legs, making it lose balance, while the first wave reaches just in time to hit the spiders head, making it flip and fall to the ground, exposing its generator.

Rika, finding the right opening, sprints toward the monster and after getting close enough she jumps high and lands and the spiders stomach, thrusting her sword hard on the exposed generator.

She quickly pulls her sword off and jumps away, landing gracefully a few feet away.

The monster sparks a little as she sheathes the sword, and after it clicks in place, the monster explodes behind her, indicating that her job is done.

Her two partners watch all this in awe and admiration and the first says "remind me not to mess with the polite ones... ever."

His partner nods and whispers back "it's always the quiet and polite ones. Always!"

-

Rika takes off again, searching for more survivors around the wrecked place.

They do so for a long time and Rika almost fills herself with doubt that there are any survivors in this place, until she hears a cry of pain coming from some distance ahead.

She steels her resolve and fallows the voice until she arrives to a smaller clearing with more scrap heaps of machine battles scattered and destroyed everywhere.

She takes a deep breath, then starts looking around, close by to where the voice is coming from.

After a while Rika noticed a moving pile of scrap, so she sprints to it while praying and hoping beyond hope that there might be still someone alive... and her prayers are answered.

When she gets close enough to the source, she smiles with relief at what she finds in front of her.

There is a small child buried up his head, so Rika signals the others to help her with the scrap removal, and help the poor child out.

When they move the last of the pieces out, she stars some more at the child's face and figures that he's probably child of 5 or maybe 6 year of age.

Not only that, but the boy is moaning in pain because of great damage that was been dealt to the boy's body.

Rika, with a pained expression in her eyes, knows full well what the boy is feeling, so she reaches out to him and hugs him for all she's worth.

She keeps repeating soothing words to the boy to calm him down and to ease his pain, but then couldn't bear to witness the boy's pain anymore, so she places him gently back down and starts enchanting a healing spell that might ease his pain a little.

When she finishes her chant, her hands glow green then she gently touches him on the head, then moves down to the middle of his body, surrounding him entirely with the green light.

The green glow fades away, signaling the job's done, then she breathes lightly and looks at the boy once more.

She smiles, glad that the boy's pained expression is gone from his face, replaced by a wide smile as he falls asleep.

The face of the boy's total relief and peace almost makes Rika cry happily before she hears the boy say in his sleep "mommy……. daddy….. no….. please… don't go into the fire…… No…. co-come back….."

Rika's heart almost shatters after hearing the boy's pleas for his parents, so she decides to look around some more, hoping to find them, quickly finding them close by to where the boy was, With a big smile on her face, Rika moves closer to get them out of there, only to notice the horror…

-

They don't have a pulse, they don't respond. From the looks of the surroundings, it seems they protected their child from a powerful blast, giving their lives away just like… "just like… just like my parents did for me" she thinks.

At this revelation she almost breaks down to cry openly, but she steels herself some more, telling herself that she would not let the boy have the same fate as her!

She approaches the boy once more and hugs him again, only this time a little more tightly, as though she would never let him go, saying to herself with a more determined face than she's ever had in her life "I will NOT let this tragedy happen again, I will try my very best to prevent people from having to deal with the same fate as mine!"

With a determined face she breaks the hug and lays the boy down gently on the ground, then she looks at the far sky ahead, praying and hoping again beyond hope that there won't be any more people that would have share the same fate as hers, and that they would all live happily, without wars or fears.

-

To be Continued……

Seihou Characters and Scenario are a collaboration of ZUN and Amusement Makers

Touhou Characters and Scenario belong to ZUN –Team Shanghai Alice-

Rika was created by Snapshot 2010

Written by

Snapshot 2010

Edited and posted by

Willie G.R.

* * *

**A/N**

**So this is the first part Rika's story. What happened to her after Yukari took her back home for her yearly checkup in the Seihou world. With this I open the curtain to certain events that occur on the next Sukima, that in turn affect the main event to a certain point, however... Every little bit counts. "A single grain of rice can tip the scale." I hope you enjoy these, and just so you don't feel TOO lost, I'm posting a little bit of this world's story under these notes. Hope they help *smile*.**

**

* * *

**In 2785, full-scale war breaks out on Earth over the various nations' rights to extra-planetary resources. This war ravages the Earth's environment, forcing humanity to flee underground.  
It also sees the creation of the M.R.S. (Machine manufacture Research and development System), an automated manufacturing and battle system designed to allow wars to take place without actual human participation.

-  
Unfortunately, within five years of humanity's flight underground, M.R.S. has completely taken control of the Earth's surface, and the first exploratory group from humanity's underground Shelters is annihilated.  
Not long after this first exploratory mission, the M.R.S. system discovers the Absolute Dimensional Barrier technology and eventually refines it into the Dimensional Absolute Barrier Shield.  
It uses its SMD series of warplanes to test and perfect the system. Unfortunately, the prototype unit, SMD-00x, disappears after activating the barrier for the first time, and though M.R.S. is eventually able to establish contact with the dimensional void into which SMD-00x disappeared, it's never actually able to find the ship again.

-  
Nevertheless, the system continues developing the SMD series, creating smaller, more capable craft such as the SMD-24-0x "Samidare", which is piloted by a humanoid control unit, C-22, and the final unit, SMD-31-FX "Gesshoku", whose control unit, C-23, possesses an advanced, self-aware AI.

Meanwhile, humanity is busy urbanizing its Shelters, developing bipedal robots (armed lightweight walking vehicles, or ALWVs), and preparing to take the fight to M.R.S. Sixty years after the cataclysm that drove humanity underground, it finally emerges to retake the surface. By this time, M.R.S. has developed significant internal defects, and the battle is relatively short. Within two decades. Of course VIVIT had the big Role of Gaurding Earth at that time with almost all M.R.S.-created automata on the surface have been destroyed now.

-

Samidare's main story mode follows the major missions of SMD-24-0x: its testing against the bio-mechanical construct Sylphid, its encounter with Anareta, the defense system of long-ruined space outpost Tetra-Biblos, and its encounter with the SMD series prototype, SMD-00x.

VIVIT didn't talk it lightly that someone(or something) was stronger then her so ones the Samidare arrived on Earth she challenged it right at that time into battle in which she lost(extra Stage)while she was at that battle however, she did discovered the ruins in which was related to Rikas family, of course in the real game she didn't pay much attention to it.

However, Rika did appear in the middle of that war,and left right at the end of the final year of war,and the final battle that Samidare took in space, then Rika returns right after the long last battle, and the aftermath.


	2. An Angel's Will

At the Hakurei Shrine, Mima and Suika cry after hearing the first part of Rika's tale, however they interrupt Rika's story, which in turn annoys Reimu.

Mima sniffles and says "I'm sorry, but that's just so sad and beautiful!"

Suika adds "I know! Rika, you poor sweet girl, you!"

They both start crying loudly again, but stop when Reimu realizes something, and speaking louder than Mima and Suika's cries she says "RIKA, TELL ME SOMETHING!"

The shrine quiets down, then Reimu calmly asks "is the outside world really that advanced? From what Sanae and the goddesses at the Moriya Shrine say... machines aren't as amazing as you describe them!"

Rika asks "what do you mean, my lady?"

Reimu asks "what year do you believe this is?"

Rika hesitantly says "well... 2785..."

Reimu, Mima and Suika open their eyes so wide they turn to white disks with black, thick over lines, then Rika asks "wh-what? Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Reimu, Mima and Suika desperately run to Reimu's room, then after a few seconds pass all three come running back to Rika, showing her a calendar that shows it's the year 2010.

Rika gently grabs the calendar and asks "my... my lady, is this accurate!?"

Reimu exclaims "Yukari brought this back the day she took you home!"

Mima points at Reimu and Suika and suspiciously asks "are you sure you're not pulling their legs?"

Rika replies "but... how can that be? I mean..."

Reimu rubs her forehead and says "never mind! We'll ask Yukari when we see her. Please, just continue with your story!"

Rika sighs, nods, then says "alright. Well, I WAS supposed to come back after 3 days but..."

-

It's been 3 days since the first rescue mission Rika volunteered to take on in order to search for survivors.

Since then, she has volunteered to take part in various other rescue missions, saving as many lives as possible.

In those 3 mission-filled days Rika has been able to save lots of lives, most of which are orphaned children whose parents had been victims of the war.

Each time Rika finishes a mission she goes to the orphanage building in the base to check up on the orphaned children she's rescued so far, as well as spend some time with them.

The children there grow attached to her thanks to her kindness and playful personality, to the point that some of the children call her big sister, since she seems to them like a big sister who cares about them.

Of course Rika is flattered and is very happy that they can see her this way.

-

At the end of the 3rd day, Rika comes back from the last rescue mission.

She is exhausted, since it's nighttime by now.

Everyone sleeps contently, except for VIVIT, who is the only one waiting for Rika at the entrance.

She greets her with her "good job", as always, and a "welcome back", though this time Rika notices that VIVIT wants to talk to her about something; something that seems to be bothering her.

Rika settles down with her in the living room, alone, so they can talk as comfortable as possible.

VIVIT starts by staring at Rika's face in a serious manner, making Rika a little tense, believing that VIVIT might scold her for something she might had done wrong.

However, she is proven wrong when VIVIT asks "how much do you know about your family, other than just the incident in which we found you on?"

VIVIT chooses her words carefully as to not offend, or hurt Rika by asking that.

Rika responds by shaking her head left and right, indicating she doesn't know anything other than that, while at the same time lowering her head as she is reminded of the sad tale of her bringing.

VIVIT notices this, so she tries to make things lighter for Rika, and with a smile she says "there may be some clues about your family somewhere still."

Rika looks up in surprise while VIVIT continues "I investigated about your origins, I hope you don't mind of course..."

Rika just smiles at her, shaking her head, letting VIVIT know that she didn't mind at all.

VIVIT smiles back and says "thanks... Anyway, it turns out that your family was once of the high states in terms of honor and loyalty. I also discovered some ruins that seem to belong to your family. Sadly though, nobody was able to enter the main gate, so perhaps it needs someone of pure blood relation...? Anyway, I thought I should tell you about this. Maybe you will be able to enter those ruins since they belong to your family."

Rika's heart fills with excitement after hearing VIVIT's words. At last, she could find out more about where she came from, and what kind of family she had.

She looks at miss VIVT, trying to ask her something, but VIVIT already knows what she wanted to ask and answers her before she even begins to talk.

"Yes, you will be able to go in check it out. In fact, how about you and I go and check it out tomorrow? I will take you there myself!" says VIVIT with a smile which in turn earns her what she desired.

A bright smile on Rika's face; the smile she hadn't seen since the start of the rescue missions.

She was brought back from her thoughts with Rika's last statement of thanks accompanied with a bow that VIVIT knows all too well.

It's her sign of great gratitude and appreciation for her, which she gladly accepted as THIS is how she trained Rika to be.

And so, they both prepare the plans for the next day's early morning trip to the ruins.

Later that night, Rika paces around her room, excitedly wonder what will she find in those ruins.

Yukari's black gap, full of ever-looking eyes, opens up right in front of her, startling her for a moment, then out comes Yukari with a casual smile, asking "so, are you all set?"

Before Rika is able to answer, Yukari quickly adds "you know, Reimu may not show it, but she's really anxious for your return."

Rika gasps, then backs away from Yukari, slowly walks to her bed and while looking at her feet she hesitantly says "Yu-Yukari... I can't go back yet."

Yukari opens her fan, covering half of her face under it, then says "I see. Well, this is a surprise."

Rika jumps from her bed and grabs Yukari's free hand, then excitedly says "there's something very important I must do, so could you please tell lady Reimu I'll only be 4 more days, I swear!"

Yukari casually stares at Rika for a moment, then says "you kids are such a hand-full. Alright, I'll be back for you in 4 days, but..."

Yukari smiles, and sounding dangerously playful she adds "if you make me miss any more of my sleep like this, I'm going to have to charge~!"

Yukari winks after saying this, then Rika smiles and hugs Yukari on impulse, repeating "thank you, thank you so much! I promise, next time I'll go with you without question!"

Yukari is surprised by the hug at first, but then smiles and hugs Rika back, and after letting go she gets back inside her gap and just before it closes she says "you know, I really should charge for these trips."

Rika smiles, giggling after Yukari's comment, then slowly walks back to her bed, drops her head on her pillow, and before she knows it, she falls asleep.

-

The next morning both Rika and VIVIT take off to the ruins, with Rika rushing it all.

She is very excited, wondering what she will uncover about her family, as well as finding out where she came from, and from VIVIT's look, she seems happy for her.

This could ease the child's mind, so she can start focusing on her future.

When they reach their destination Rika is surprised at how well built the ruins are.

It seems to be well forted, as well as very well preserved, even though it looks like it had been built a very long time ago.

The walls are carved with many symbols that resemble feathered wing signs from different angelic cultures, making nice shapes and well made carved drawings that symbolize how ancient the ruins are.

Rika wonders how long has her family been alive, or more importantly, when did her family form.

The thoughts refuse to leave her mind, so she decides to find out everything she can about her family in these ruins.

She readies herself and approaches the main gate of the ruins, which has the same carvings as the whole ruins.

She stares at the gate for a minute while VIVIT keeps staring at Rika, who then walks slowly forward until she's right next to the door.

She lifts her hand and lightly touches the rocky door, then the door suddenly starts to shake for a while, startling both Rika and VIVIT, until it slowly but steadily begins to open.

-

VIVIT is left awestruck at what she's just witnessed.

In front of her, that door she tried to open so many times, for so long, now is easily opens by the touch of Rika's hand, and now in front of both girls the door fully opens, revealing a long path as far as their eyes can see.

Both girls walk in, Rika going through normally, but VIVIT is quickly pushed back and falls on the ground outside.

Still not knowing what hit her she takes a guess and after getting up, she touches the archway and finds out that her hand can't pass to the other side, like there's a invisible barrier blocking that entrance, preventing her from entering.

She notices Rika on the other side, unaffected by that barrier at all.

She only guesses the purpose of this barrier, so she sighs with great disappointment and just looks back at Rika, who looks worriedly back at her from the other side.

She smiles sadly at Rika and says "it seems that the ruins only accept those who are from the family. I don't know how it works though, but with this I won't be able to come along with you."

Before Rika could even respond back, VIVIT says "but ...I will be with you in here!"

She points at her chest and continues "so fear nothing and look out for yourself in there. Just remember that I am here with you!"

Those reassuring words return the smile in Rika's face. Excited, and with a bright smile Rika replies back "I won't forget that. Thank you very much!"

She then turn around and looks at the road up ahead with determination on her face and proceeds to run along the path that holds the secrets of who she is, not knowing that this journey will change her life forever.

-

As Rika runs along the path inside the ruins she comes across lots of traps, all set in various places, arranging from spike pit-falls, to crushing walls, to a room full of poisonous scorpions, to more crushing walls, and many more deadly trap-rooms and trapdoors.

Rika escapes every one of them with such grace that she doesn't notice it herself, even though there are some that seem to be quite a handful to her, but she still manages to escape all of them with ease proceeding without delay.

Her family history is somewhere in here, so she's not going to back down, no matter what.

Finally after dodging a few more traps, including a horrible hot tar and feathers trap, she reaches what seems to be the final door.

She enters with a sigh of relief, thinking that the traps are over, only to be hit on the head the very moment she enters with a silver wash tub, knocking her to the ground with her eyes spinning around in place.

She recovers fast and gets up stares back with a sweat drop on the back of her head.

The silver wash tub now lies on the ground, making Rika feel a bit sheepish, then asks herself "so childish tricks like these were used in the past?!"

She shrugs it off and continues moving ahead, until she reaches the end of the road, arriving to a room that has many unique carvings on the walls, much different than the ones outside.

The room itself is circle shaped and its made of crystals that shine bright enough with any dim light that reaches it.

Rika, of course, tries to make out what she could out of this room until she sees a crystal ball that's been put in what she thinks is the middle of the room.

She approaches it slowly, then tries to touch it, only to have the entire room shine brightly, making Rika cover her eyes with her hands.

Once the lights die out Rika opens her eyes, and to her shock and surprise, what she sees in front of her is just awe inspiring to her.

There's a woman flying in front of her who has sunny blond hair, blue eyes the color of the skies, and 2 white wings on her back that are as tall as herself.

She has an innocent motherly smile that could make anyone's heart feel at peace. She looks at Rika then smiles wider at her, though Rika could swear she saw a hint of sadness in that smile.

The girl approaches Rika in a slow manner; Rika doesn't even move or panic, as she is still awe struck at the sight in front of her.

She snaps out of surprise when the girl's pure voice says "child of our honorable clan..., I can recognize your pure family blood from just looking at you."

She pauses for a brief moment with a smile, then her expression changes to seriousness, and in a firm voice says "therefore, you may have one request as well as a one question to be answered; is all I am capable of offering for you. That is what I can do for you as my powers can't fully reach this world anymore. So state your wish sweet girl. That is the least I could do for you."

She waits for Rika to absorb what she just so she can chose her words correctly.

-

Rika closes her eyes, thinking for a moment what she desires and what she wants to know.

She slowly opens her eyes once more with a look of pure determination which tells the holy girl what she wants to know.

Rika looks at the girl with the same determined look and with a convinced voice se says "my question would be this... Am I the last of the family line?"

She tries to keep that convinced voice while asking that question, which the holy girl, with a sad face and a small tear falling from her right eye, just nods as her answer.

Rika looks down to the ground; knowing that she is the last of her family line isn't very pleasing to her, but somehow she knew that already in her heart.

She only needed proof, and now she has it, but she steels herself to ask for her request so she can move on, then suddenly says "then my request will be this... Show me... my family's whole history."

The holy Girl nods again, but this time with a much brighter face, and a small smile.

-

The room turns pitch black, with only Rika and the holy girl in view.

The holy girl then takes a deep breath then stars speaking with a nostalgic voice "a very, VERY long time ago, there was a youkai race that was noble in blood and heart, mind and soul. They loved nature and lived around it as much as they could. They were called the Onkamiyamukai"

The whole room turns into a solidified image of a beautiful forest with many flowers, trees and many of people there have the same white wings as the holy girl.

She proceeds with her tale "they were one of the most respected races at the time before Japan. They were so well-thought of by the other clans they were never opposed, or attacked. They were peace walkers of the land, respected by many, if not by all those who knew them. They lived in harmony with both nature and the living as a whole, however..."

All the people in that forest vanish, while the forest reshapes with the intense red and orange of flames all over.

Many of the people are now escaping from their own home land, sadness written all over their eyes.

The holy Girl starts to speak again "forced out of their lands they live in, they were forced to join with the Moriya nation as allies, in hopes of returning to their peaceful times with nature someday, all because of a selfish war that was started for the gaining of lands."

The room turns pitch black once more, as the holy girl again takes another deep breath and starts speaking again.

"At a time, not too far away from the Onkamiyamukais, there lived the Kurashikami clan; a noble clan in both blood and wealth. They are masters of sword play and train hard with honor for those they wish to protect."

The view in the room changes to a compound full of houses and many people, men and women, holding swords and training with them, some taking a break and waving their hands at their families, looking very content in what they do.

The holy girl then continues speaking. "It's mainly because of their job that their family is well known far and wide across the land of honorable swordsmen and women who always protect those whom they serve. In other words, a noble clan whose one and only purpose is to protect other honorable clans. And they always lived to the other clans' expectations. They were one of the most respected clans of their time, however..."

The view changes into many other scenes in which some clans refuse their protection and some even become afraid of them, which left the proposers with a very sad expression.

The holy girl continues her story.

"Their own noble blood carried a curse that was bestowed on them through their founder, who sealed a cursed demon that purged countless lands. Using his own blood as a seal key to strip the Demon lord of its demonic powers and transferring it into his body, the clan founder managed to seal the demon away in hell, powerless and stripped of his demonic energy. This was the founder of the family, his own powers transferred on to the next generation with a blood line limit that could control the body if not wielded the right way. The people considered this dark energy and the change of personality to be a curse on the use, and thus on the family as a whole, were one of the most known clans to live on that time. They always treated their members equally, without any favors, and if they did, they didn't neglect others, making them more of a wise clan as well."

At the end of her last sentence a view of the members of the clan appear helping each other in their own training, some on their chores; a view that anyone who loves peace likes to see.

However the view then changes into a battle field with 2 sides clashing against each other in strong combat of life and death.

The holy girl speaks again "it's the time of the Suwa wars, which had an essential effect of shaping the land we now know as Japan, and in one of the grandest of battles of this war..."

The view then focuses on two individuals clashing against each other in a heated battle.

A man and a woman; the woman looks the same as the holy girl, though wearing heavy armor attached to her clothes, and the man looks like a member of the Kurashikami clan, his sword-wielding style giving him away, holding his Japanese sword in a quick draw style which the clan always uses without exception.

While the echoes of clashing metals and cries of battle are heard, the holy girl speaks again.

"The last members from both the Kurashikami and Onkamiyamukai clans engaged in a heated battle against each, both bearing the pain of losing their families in this selfish war on their faces. While battling, a spark of hope emerges."

The view then focuses on both of the man and woman's faces as they continue their battle against each other, both aiming to defeat their swords and finish this fight, then both of look into each other's faces after getting close enough to each other, and see everything.

The pain... the longing... the sadness.

The holy girl continues "and at that moment, they both fell in love with each other; the love that was rarely known; love at first sight. Both man and woman take each other's hand and flee the battle field, knowing that they both betrayed their own alliance. But they didn't care. They both search for that small glimmer of hope that crossed both their faces, and soon after that..."

The view changes to only the two of them, now old in age, yet they both look like in their mid 30s, with many new family members who were a mix of both the Kurashikami and Onkamiyamukai clans blood.

Some play while some train with swords, and some are tending to nature and lessoning to them in their hearts, much like the Onkamiyamukai clan.

The holy girl speaks again.

"A new family was born from the mix of the two last members of their clans, and together they prospered into a great and honorable family once more. Even the curse that was carried on by the Kurashikami was nullified due to the blood mix of both clans. This new clan was called the Onkamikami clan, and this clan remade the glory of both lost races, and an honorable clan rises yet again, this time surpassing even the Hinanai family, which is widely known for their services to the Nai-no-Kami, who in their part didn't like the new formed family and named it a cursed family that still had the demon's powers inside each one of them. They never acknowledged them as ones that were blessed with good deeds and honorable life. They think that it's all a lie in order to get close to others and then destroy them in the end... But even so, the family prospered to new heights, earning the respect of many, if not, all the clans of their time, and so they lived in happiness."

The Holy takes another deep, relaxing breath as if saying that she finished.

-

Rika is fascinated by the story she was told about.

It's like a fairy tale from a book. She didn't expect her family was that kind of a family from the past.

She just thought that they had a long history, but never this kind of proud and strong influence of a history, but then a question surfaces in her mind.

A Question that she didn't get a answer to. She is about to ask when the room goes dark again, and the holy girl speaks once more.

"In times of old history, the clan served many, but as time went by their numbers went down due to the fact that other clans were ending their cycles as well, so they became less in numbers with each generation until this last generation, with only the last remaining family, in which... this war was an unfortunate end of that family, leaving its last member to live as their last keep sake of honor as well as to protect their family as they always have done."

After saying all this, she looks at Rika with a serious expression and says "and that would be you my sweet girl."

Rika tries to hold back the tears of this terrible knowledge of not having a family anymore, but she knows that she isn't alone at all.

Many other people have cared for her, so she keeps that small fact in the surface of her mind to keep herself strong in this time of need.

-

Silence rules for a moment after the story ends, that is until the holy girl speaks again, and with a soothing voice she asks "what is your name dear girl?"

Rika answers back with a simple "Rika" to which the holy girl smiles once more and with the same soothing voice she says "my, what a wonderful name. It speaks of your treats perfectly."

Rika is flattered by her complement until she sees that the Holy girl approaches her slowly from above, descending to her in a slow motion.

While descending she says "then I hereby rename you Rika Onkamikami, of the Onkamikami Clan!"

Once she finishes saying that she hugs Rika tight and while kissing her head she says "you have my blessings" and with that Rika's body glows a little.

After that glow disappears Rika is left in shock, unable to say a word.

Before the confused Rika can finally say anything, the holy girl smiles and says "with this, you will gain all our family's treats... if you manage to complete the trails, that is."

She stops for a moment, allowing Rika to absorb what she just said, then continues "and you already passed the first one with flying colors" all the while smiling wider and saying "your selfless act about both the question and the request was part of that trial, and so you pass the first trial with high honors."

She waits for Rika now to respond back.

It takes a while for Rika to register what this holy being just said to her before she smiles back like a child that has earned her candy treat from their mother.

The holy girl giggles at the sight, then in a flash her expression changes to a most serious one, and says "it's not over yet... Here is your second trial. I truly hope you are able to handle it."

Just after she says those words, another girl appears behind both them.

She looks just like Rika, only with purple eyes, waving hair that moves as if dark air is cruising through, and a purple aura around her.

Rika stares at what looks like herself, only in a more menacing form, not sure how to handle what she sees in front of her.

-

Just when Rika readies herself for what is coming, the crystal ball that she touched earlier emits a small blue aura that surrounds it.

The aura expands until it covers the whole room, then the holy girl, after flying high above her says "this is a barrier similar to what's been used to protect Gensokyo, its only temporary though. In that time, you can use all that you have learned and know about the real Gensokyo. Now... I hereby bear witness to this trial in which an honorable member proves herself!"

Rika doesn't respond to that and just stares at her other self with a face full of determination, then says in a steeled voice "Oath Keeper!" while her other self, with a face that looks almost blank, but with wide purple glowing eyes says in a minced voice "Oath BREAKER!!"

Each have a circle gate open beside them, Rika's being a Golden Gate, while the other one a Dark purple Gate.

They both jump inside at the same time and both emerge at the same time from them, Rika with her fire and water swords, now are her sides, while the other emerges with four swords, each one with purple colored hilts and a dark aura around them.

Rika holds her hands over each sword while taking a ready to strike stance while the dark one holds 2 of the dark swords, ready to strike when needed.

They both hold their ground for a who knows how long before each at attack the same time with great speeds, both disappearing and reappearing face to face against each other, both of their swords clashing against each other in one swift strike, then the next moment they disappear and reappear at another place in the room.

Again they clash their swords in an instant, but this time many other strikes follow after the first in a blur and shock of both swords colliding with each other.

The same pattern continues on, each time increasing their speeds to new heights, until they both realize they can't beat each other with just speed and power.

-

They stop at a small distance away from each other, then a spell card appears in front of Dark Rika.

She declares it in a menacing voice "Untitled - Darco Gessenkou!"

She rushes to Rika, appearing straight in front of her and striking hard with her sword. Rika manages to block it, but she's launched to the air by the force of the impact.

Rika tries to recover in mid air only to notice that Dark Rika appears in front of her and is already swinging her sword down on her.

Rika manages to block it again, using both her swords this time, but she is pushed back down to the ground with great force.

Rika balances herself and forces the impact of the push to affect her legs alone and simply endures it, but before she knows it, a mark shaping the moon is on the ground, and she lands in the center of it.

Dark Rika sheathes her swords back and with her hands she generates lots of dark bullets inside the moon-shaped mark.

They slowly get closer to Rika, surrounding her entirely.

Rika flares up and in an angry tone she says "don't underestimate me!"

She pulls a spell card from her apron with a serious tone she says "Fire & Water Sign - Embraco Endo no Zeppa Juujishou"

Rika uses her fire sword to send many bullet waves at her dark self in fast draws of her sword while getting close to the dark girl with each wave.

Dark Rika keeps resisting each wave Rika sends to her, sometimes blocking while other times dodging, but she still can't escape waves coming to her.

Rika keeps sending wave after a wave until she reaches Dark Rika at sword range, then she uses her water sword and begins to try and strike her down.

Dark Rika sees the attack coming, so she blocks and dodges each of her sword strikes while smirking and thinking that Rika is just desperate.

She's so confident in this that she doesn't notice the pile of ice that's been forming bellow her since Rika started slashing, but it's too late and her legs are now stuck were she stands.

Rika smiles at her while saying "that's for underestimating me!"

Rika jumps and flips away from Dark Rika, then puts her sword in front of her as if praying, and begins chanting, and then it happens, another copy of Rika appears right beside her, holding the fire sword for her and doing the same battle stance as the real Rika.

They attack the enemy in front of them at the same time, both pacing at the same time and reaching the angry Dark Rika in front of them, crossing their swords and making an x mark and shouting at the same time "EMBRACE END!!"

However, before the attack reaches the dark one, she says in a very loud and a menacing tone "ENOUGH!!",then a Dark spell card forms in front of her and she says, in a very wicked calm tone "Untitled: Darco Houryuu Zankouken."

A massive burst of Dark Energy is released before Rika can reach her dark self and gets knocked away, canceling her spell card.

Rika manages to balance herself back in mid-air after being knocked away, then Dark Rika proceeds by holding two swords and while glaring at Rika with her glowing purple eyes, her aura turns darker, and before Rika knows what happened her Dark self unleashes a barrage of swift strikes in a fast and a random fashion, all of which either miss Rika or are blocked by mere instincts.

Rika didn't know that those strikes left glowing marks everywhere it struck, and Dark Rika suddenly disappears and reappears a few feet behind Rika, sheathing both of her swords back, and when they click in place, all of the marks turn into dark shaped bullets and start scattering slowly.

While that happens she does the same move again, leaving marks and then turning them into bullets.

Rika is pressured by the vast curtain of bullets and can't dodge them all, some even hitting her from the rear or the side.

Rika thinks that this can't go on and uses her Oath keeper spell at the right time to enter the gate once more and emerge with her thunder sword this time.

Rika doesn't have much time as she hurriedly declares her next spell card while the dark bullets almost reach her.

While pulling her spell card she says "Thunder Sign - Indignation no Shouou Jin'eizan"

Rika runs at high speeds across the room, generating lines of thunder with her unsheathed sword, distracting her dark self by using many arc lines of thunder.

All the lines turn into thunder-shaped bullets that scatter toward the dark one randomly; unknown to the dark one however, those bullets are a distraction in order for Rika to chant the greatest thunder magic known as "Indignation".

Rika begins chanting while the skies outside turn heavy with dark clouds, saying "I, who stand in the full light of the heavens command thee, who opens the gates of Hell. Come forth, divine lightning, INDIGNATION!!"

As soon as Rika says the magic word, a roaring thunder strike descends from the skies, penetrating the whole ruin and reaching Rika.

The lighting strike hits Rika's body in a blinding light, her dark self believing that she is so desperate she just wants to finish herself off.

To her surprise she is again, proven wrong, seeing Rika standing there with her body filled with lighting power and looking much brighter.

Electric sparks can be seen cruising through many parts of her body as she says "I didn't want to use this spell just yet, but you give me no choice. Prepare yourself!!"

Rika moves at speeds that can't be even sensed, and before her dark self knows it, she finds herself surrounded by many thunder lines drawn by Rika herself, then all of the lines turn into thunder bullets, some rushing the Dark one while some moving randomly at a faster pace, all the while Rika herself appearing and disappearing many times, leaving an after image every time that draws many thunder lines that continue to surround her dark self.

Dark Rika is pressured beyond reasoning, to the point that she is already in a corner and trying her hardest to avoid or deflect some of the bullets that surround her, then the real Rika suddenly appears in front of her with a prepared strike to the center of her body.

Dark Rika doesn't have time to react and she's cut by Rika's thunder sword.

Rika sheathes her sword back in its sheath, and once the sword is placed back with a click, a thunder strike hits Dark Rika's body.

Screaming in agony she isn't able to bear this any longer and just falls to the floor.

Rika turns to her dark self and stares a while before she concludes that she defeated her, and with a sigh of relief she throw her sword back to the gate, canceling her spell card in the processes, and turning around to look for the holy girl.

To Rika's horror however, a crazed laugh is heard in the room, and Rika suddenly turns around to look where Dark Rika had fallen, only to see her standing there, unscratched and laughing in a menacing and crazed voice.

While laughing Dark Rika says "you can't beat me, because I am you..! No! I am your very soul and darkness, and will be until the end of your life!"

Rika can't move after hearing those words and an ominous feeling fills her heart.

Did she ever really have a dark or evil side to begin with?

And if so, did she make any one suffer from that?

The more Rika thought about it, the faster she falls into a pit of darkness that's never ending.

-

The distraction itself is what Dark Rika needs to finish her off, and using every bit of speed she has, she appears just in front of Rika with two of her swords ready to strike her down.

The real Rika however, fails to realize that in time and as it happens so fast Rika can't tell what hit her, but she suddenly finds herself on the ground unable to move, and slowly but surely the surge of pain reaches her mind, but she holds her urge to scream in pain.

She looks over in a daze to find out that she has been slashed twice across her abdomen, which in turn intensifies the pain she is feeling, but she still holds it in, baring all the pain inside herself and not letting it out, and in turn, she starts to lose her consciousness.

In her daze she manages to see a sword stabbed to the ground beside her self, and somehow, she is drawn to it, like it's part of her.

She weakly lifts her hand and reaches for it slowly, and just before she grabs it she sees herself in a what looks like a white room that's devoted of anything but herself.

She looks around where she is now to see in front of her Reimu, just staring back at her.

Rika is surprised to find her master there. She wants to run and greet her, but Reimu raises her arm and holds her open palm in front of her, signaling Rika to stop.

In a casual tone Reimu says "did I ever say to you that you hurt anyone, or that you were evil?"

She now has a look similar to a scolding master and says "didn't you learn anything from the time you were with us..? All of us? You should be able to see by now why you lost just now!"

And then it hits Rika like a ton of bricks. Rika was ashamed of what she just did to herself, some tears clinging to her eyes.

In a shivering voice, Rika says " I am sorry. I really am sorry for not trusting you all, for not having faith at all... And now I know what I lacked the most in this battle... faith in myself and to believe in the power of bonds. Yes... bonds. This simple word has such a powerful meaning, and I didn't feel its power at all. I promise from now on I will not waver anymore. I will live up to my code in every way... to believe in our bonds, and the will of fire!"

Reimu smiles and nods at Rika, then she moves in to give Rika a hug while Rika cries her eyes out for a moment, then the whole Room turns brighter and brighter until its light covers Rika and Reimu entirely, and once again the scene switches back to Rika, reaching for the sword.

At first Rika is surprised at the sudden change of the moment, but the tear in her eye tells her that was not just a dream or anything of the sort.

Now she knows what to do and with every bit of power she had left, she grabs the sword's hilt with both hands, and uses it as a support to get up.

While doing so, she remembers what she was taught and it suddenly clicked inside Rika.

As if knowing, she grabs the sword and before unsheathing it she says "the shine of clustering bonds will illuminate a new miracle and become the path its light shines upon!!"

Rika pauses for a moment before she opens her eyes once more and says in a strong, knowing voice "and with this will, I hereby unleash the power of the savior Dragon. Come forth, sword of limitless bonds! Hakuryu no Shishasusei!!"

Rika releases the sword from the ground and holds it tightly in her hands, and with a roar of light it comes out shining.

With sword in hand, Rika springs two large white wings from her back, her eyes glow blue sky with a hint of moving clouds.

Rika looks hard and serious toward her dark self and says "never will I waver from my way again! This will be the last time! I will change for the better!!"

Dark Rika doesn't answer back but attacks, thinking it's her chance to strike while the real Rika is distracted, but she is proven wrong when Rika disappears and reappears behind her with her sword already too close for the dark one to react.

In a calm voice Rika says "Kouryuu Metsugasou" and suddenly three slash marks appear right on Dark Rika's chest, which bore the element of light in it.

Dark Rika can only scream in agony as her body vaporizes into dark dust, and the dark dust is absorbed into Rika's sword until there is none left.

-

Rika feels great exhaustion, having forgotten that she had been wounded, and falls to the ground.

Before she reaches the ground however, she is caught by the holy girl who says to her "good job again. You passed with flying colors. You even passed the final trail while you were at it. It just tells me how pure of heart you really are. ...Well done my little angel! Rest for now and ones you wake up you will gain all the knowledge you need for your new powers and how to handle them as well. Unfortunately for me... I won't be able to stay long. So I will only bestow my only gift to you. I know it's not much but I hope it will suffice, and I will hope that you'll become great in the future and make everyone you care about very proud of you."

She then kisses Rika on the head before a green soothing light covers Rika's body and begins to heal her.

The holy girl then says "I wish I could be with you in your time of need, but this is the best I can offer for you. May you find light in what darkness you see ahead. You have my eternal blessings..."

She kisses Rika's head one last time before she begins to slowly disappear while Rika tries to say something to her, but the safe feeling and the comfort she feels from that light makes her fall asleep.

She falls back into the blissful comfort of sleep, an earned award for those who face life head on with their bare hands and move on with it.

-

To be Continued……

Seihou Characters and Scenario are a collaboration of ZUN and Amusement Makers

Touhou Characters and Scenario belong to ZUN –Team Shanghai Alice-

Rika was created by Snapshot 2010

Written by

Snapshot 2010

Edited and posted by

Willie G.R

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**A/N:**

**Here are Rika's and Dark Rika's spells with their names in English, for those who wish to know. They are placed in order of appearance.  
**

**Untitled "Darco Gessenkou" Untitled "Dark Moon Glare"**

**Fire & Water Sign "Embraco Endo no Zeppa Juujishou" Fire & Water sign "Final Cross that Embraces The End"**

**Untitled "Darco Houryuu Zankouken" Untitled "Dark Dragon Glare"**

**Thunder Sign "Indignation no Shouou Jin'eizan" "Divine Thunder Assault of Indignation"**

**"Kouryuu Metsugasou" "Radiant Dragon Fang"**


	3. Turn Over a New Leaf

At the Hakurei Shrine, Rika finds herself in Mima's arm, while the "evil" spirit lightly brushes her hair, humming a lullaby to her.

Confused, Rika asks "miss Mima, what are you...?"

Mima shushes her and while looking at her with a motherly expression she says "such a good child, and yet you've never felt the warmth of family, so now you let mama-Mima fill you wish so much family love you'll explode."

Suika stares at them with jealousy in her eyes, pouting with tears clinging to her eyes.

Mima stares at Suika, and with a neutral expression and sounding coldly casual she says "you're a big drunk oni girl who's not as cute as this child."

Suika start to cry twin waterfalls, bawling as she rubs her eyes with her fists.

Reimu walks into the living room and asks "ok, what did you do now?"

Suika rushes to Reimu and buries her face on Reimu's belly.

At first Reimu is shocked and readies herself to smack Suika away, but she just sighs, drops on her knees, brushes the top of Suika's head with her fingers and says "there, there. *Sigh* Mima, don't pick on her."

Rika has fallen asleep on Mima's arms by now, but Reimu wakes her up, asking "Rika, why did you got through all that? Was it all really worth it?"

Rika wakes up and instinctively answers "to learn, my lady."

Rika looks away from Reimu, to the outside of the shrine, and while looking at the sky she says "sometimes the only way to learn something is to go through hardships. At least... That's what I believe."

Reimu smiles, but before she says another word, Rika looks sadly at Reimu and says "I know I didn't do these things on purpose... but still..."

Reimu quickly says "I already told you not to blame yourself! You couldn't help it... AND if I had sealed that inside of you, who knows the damage that could have caused."

Rika chuckles, looks at her mistress with a thankful expression, then says "well we still got some time before this event, so I'll continue my story where I left off... if that's alright."

Mima, Reimu and Suika stare at Rika for a moment, then Mima asks "more?"

Rika quietly nods while Mima continues to pet her like a child, then says "like I said... Sometimes, the only way to learn something, is through hardships."

-

It's been around 12 hours since Rika finished those trials and fell asleep.

From afar, one would think she's enjoying an innocent and peaceful sleep, however upon a closer look it becomes certain that it is far from it.

Rika's face is twisted, showing signs of pain and discomfort... and the reason for that is quite simple.

Rika, in those 12 hours, has been experiencing the horrible deeds that her raging self committed while in Gensokyo.

How in that form she felt no guilt for her actions, just the feeling of anger that she unleashed without her knowing.

What's worse to her is the fact of Satori and her pets covering for her as if she hadn't done anything at all, the feeling of both shame and sadness cover her whole being, and with a frightened start, she wakes up.

Rika, who had been sleeping on what looks like the back pack she carried inside with her, springs up with her face full of sweat, as if she had been working out hard, but that wasn't that case for her at all.

She lifts her hand up and grabs her face with it hard and with a frightened voice she says "what…what have I done!"

She tries to look around her to see where she is, and that's when she noticed something.

She couldn't see around her at all. The place, from her view, looks pitch black to no end and then Rika reaches her for her eyes with her hand to touch them, realizing something she didn't want to believe……

She noticed that she is simply blind.

She wants to cry out her pain, but before she can even start, she feels a sharp, strong headache.

She feels her head might just explode, but to her surprise her headache quickly subsides in an instant, and instead of that, a flow of information suddenly rushes inside her head, helping her understand what she is going through, and somehow it gives her peace of mind.

-

What Rika sees in that information she received is all she needs to know about what's happening to her and to her body.

The blindness she's currently suffering through is temporary, due to one of the gifts being activated; and it's her families blood line limit.

Hers however, was late in awakening and had this drawback of temporary blindness, until her body gets used to it.

Plus, she also learns that she is a fully awakened being, and the proof is the wings on her back, which she herself tries to touch, and surely enough they are there.

She tries to will it, and manages to flap her wings for a short while.

She also knows many other facts about her family, and about herself now and she now knows that her elemental affinity has changed to that of thunder and light, instead of just wind.

She also gains the knowledge of what her blood line limit can do, and of course, she keeps all the info she has to heart, knowing what's going to come in the future.

She needs all she can get in order to not just survive the other world, but to better herself further, in order to gain the trust of others, be it nature, humans, or both alike.

As she thinks of this she prays a thanks that reaches the one who left her this information, and if that person didn't do that Rika knows that she would break down then, so she prays with all her being, that whoever did this may be blessed with a full life.

Unknown to her, that person already had a full life, and that person was truly happy about it.

-

Rika, with as much determination as ever, tries to get up and get used to her blindness.

At first she walks a few steps before she almost trips and falls over, but she tries many times again, not giving in at all, trying to overcome a weakness that might hold her back.

She knows by now that her senses are stronger now, so she tries to adapt to them with as much will she can possibly muster.

It takes her many hours to do so, but after some great effort from her part she manages to walk around the room freely, while sensing all the things around her in the right way, and before she knows it she reaches her back pack, pulls out some nicely done lunch boxes, and rests her tired body while eating what she thought was her best meal in a very long time.

She tucks her lunch box back into her backpack before carrying it on her back the same way she did when she entered the room.

She then confidently holds a piece of cloth up to her eyes to cover them in order to feel safer about her eyes, then she slowly walks to the door she came from when she first entered the room.

She goes past the door with ease, however Rika is hit on the head with what appears to be a silver wash tub.

Rika roughly rubs her head before she says to herself "note to self, always check for falling silver wash tubs in suspicious areas… They hurt really bad." and with that in mind, she walks out of the room.

Before she goes any further, she remembers that she came through a path full of traps, so now she must go back through the same route in order to get out of the ruins.

She concludes that she should adjust herself from the first trap so she could move on to the next one, and so on, until she reaches the exit.

She knows it's a long shot, but she is much more determined to do it, and if she wants to survive what she is been through, she would just have to work hard for that, and that means that she has to clear out every obstacle in her way in order to reach her goal in the end. Something that's already born within her, and that is the will of fire.

-

It takes Rika a very long time, so much time that almost the entire day passes on, but she manages to clear all the traps again and with her senses sharper and ever.

Usually, it takes someone days, some even months to gain that level of sharpness with their sense, but since Rika is now half a youkai she has more into her than just a normal human will, not to mention her determination plays a big role in making her reach what she desires, regardless of anything.

But now Rika is tired, so tired and stressed that she needs to relax somewhere.

The news of her blindness isn't something that can be accepted easily, even though she is determined her mind and body can only handle so much, but also she needs to rest and now, reaching the door to the outside at last, the sun light shines from the entrance.

For Rika it seems like forever since she felt the sun, so in her tired state she walks slowly but steadily, once more into the outside world.

Moments earlier outside the ruins, VIVIT has had enough.

She sits by the entrance, then suddenly roars in rage and while lifting to the air she shouts "I've had enough! She's been in there TOO LONG! Rika, I'm going to save you! Meteoric Blast!!"

She summons two machines that fly along with her then flies high above the doorway and starts to blast the ruins with all her power, however fails in making an opening.

She sighs at her current failure, but then yelps with excitement and says "to the side, boys!"

She goes to the left side of the ruins and starts shooting maniacally and shouting "Rika, hold on! Crap, I'm not doing a thing here! Let's try the back..! Rika, I'm coming for you, sweetie!"

From the distance, it looks as if a small aircraft is bombarding the ruins, however causes no damage to the structure, making VIVIT scream "RAH! What's this thing MADE of anyway!?"

-

While VIVIT bombards the building from behind, Rika walks out the doorway.

At first Rika can't sense any presence at all; nobody's waiting for her there. And how can she blame VIVIT.

She's been in there for a long time, and if anyone saw her like this, blind and having two small wings spreading from her back, as if she didn't belong to this world anymore, what would they think?

She fears she'll be shunned and cast aside, but she is proven wrong when VIVIT appears from the right side of ruin's main building, and once she sees Rika her face fills with surprise, gasping loudly and shouting "Rika!"

Rika mistakes it as a frightened scream and almost flees the scene so as not to find out what her teacher would do or say to her, as she is no longer a normal human.

But yet again she is proven wrong when her teacher give her a bone-crushing hug, saying in a fast and desperate fashion "your back?!? What happened?!? Why do you look like this?!?! Why didn't you tell me you would be gone this long?!?! Why do you have small wings on your back?!?! Oh wait... WINGS?!?!?"

After mentioning the wings VIVIT feels Rika flinch while in her arms and felt as though she wanted her to let go so she could escape, but her teacher holds her tighter, preventing Rika from escaping, then says in a soft tone "trying to run away won't solve anything, right?"

She feels Rika relax, but she can still tell that she isn't fine at all, and now that she looks at her more calmly she sees the small cloth wrapped around her eyes.

Confused as to why Rika is covering her eyes she asks "dear, why are you covering your eyes like that?"

Once more, Rika tenses and doesn't know how to answer or how to break the news for her, so she decides to answer to her simple, without any lies or distractions, but before she could voice her answer she suddenly feels herself tired and drained.

The strain from the day's events pick its toll on her and she passed out on the spot.

VITVIT panics and shouts "Rika!? Rika, what's the matter!? Rika~!"

-

It's morning at the base, where a lot of people are staying until their homes are rebuilt.

Rika is soundly asleep in one of the examination labs where some tests are being run on her to ensure that she is fine and ready to go home once again.

The silence in the room is broken when Rika suddenly wakes up, screaming in fright.

For the second time she was seeing what she had done while in her rage state.

Her frightened expression changes after she senses her surroundings and realizes that its one of the lab's rooms.

She sighs in relief after realizing that it's just a dream and she didn't really go on a rampage again, however she is still sad because of what she has done already and promises herself to make amends for what she has done, and that includes one hell raven's shadow.

She hears someone enter the room she was in, but she didn't know who it was since she couldn't see so she wanted to ask who it was, but before she mouthed her question she heard the one there saying with a cheery voice "well, it seems you have woken up dear Rika!"

Rika's face brightens up after hearing that voice before she gets crushed, once again, by in one big hug from her teacher right before she says "you poor girl! You kept on going that far, even while blind like that! I wish I had been there to help you!"

Rika hears her teacher cry close to her and she feels guilt for making her cry like that, so smiling she says to her, in a sad tone "it's ok, I am fine now. I just need to get used to this. Besides, it's only temporary!"

She changes her sad smile into a happy one, as if she just realized that her blindness is just temporary.

Her teacher asks in a questioning tone "temporary?"

Rika giggles a bit then sighs with relief before she starts talking about what happened to her in the ruins; from the very moment she entered it, to the very end of it when she comes out.

With her heightened senses she hears her teacher crying and with sad smile she says "sorry I made you worry… I..."

Before she could finish she was once again hugged and this time she hears her teacher's cries more openly while saying she says "I wish I was there to support you! You've had a rough life already as it is! And now…… why does life have to be so unfair to you!?"

At that, Rika simply answers to her with a smile that she hasn't seen for long time, only this time it was without her bright blue eyes in view "I can't complain now. I have some people who love me and take care of me just like family, and so many friends there at the other world! Plus, I still got my master and she is so~ nice to me! *giggle*"

With those words she proves that she has truly learned about bonds to heart.

-

It's early afternoon now and Rika's tests have finally finished with a all test runs turning to be of positive values, meaning that she is fine and ready to go home once again.

Rika walks out of her bed and goes to the door, but before she opens it, VIVIT walks into the room, surprised that Rika is already leaving, but her face changes to a thoughtful expression and then smiles while asking Rika "are you well rested now?"

Rika didn't know someone was in front of her, but know there is now.

Rika smiles after recognizing the voice and says and in a happy voice replies "yes! I'm very well rested, and the tests have all ended well. I am fine and ready to go back anytime now."

VIVIT smiles at her and says in a content tone "then, since your fine and happy now, why don't you come with me? There is a friend I want to visit and I would be very happy to present her to you."

Rika looks happier this time, as she didn't know what VIVIT's close friend looks, or in this case sounds like, but she sure wanted to go and meet her anyway, so she mouths a cheery "yes!"

That was all her teacher needed to hear before she guides Rika out of the base and lifts her bridal-style while taking flight toward her destination.

Rika blushes lightly from the fact they she is being carried like that, but she feels comfortable anyway so she just lets it go and focuses on the feeling of the cool breeze that passes through her face and hair, making her feel even more comfortable about this fact, though at the same time she drifts her thoughts into what happened the day before, thinking of what she will do from now on, and how she will change for the better.

Suddenly a though crosses her mind, making her grin mischievously, then suddenly says "please, take good care of me."

VIVIT's face freezes in shock and surprise, staring at the mischievous little blind maid.

-

After a short while, VIVIT lands softly on the ground, making Rika snap from her long train of thoughts.

VIVIT takes the moment to tell her apprentice "here we are, you naughty thing, you!", to which Rika giggles.

They are now in front of a shrine that is reserved and well kept, which told that someone is living close to it, if not in it, and took care of it.

Rika takes in the familiar scent of her surroundings and for her the scent seems to remind her of her master's shrine back in Gensokyo, so out of instinct she asks "a shrine?"

VIVIT is surprised that she could recognize the place so quickly, and before she could ask how she knows, a voice from afar says with an excited tone "that's right! Welcome to the South-side Shrine, where your prayers can be heard, and your wishes might come true if your faith is strong enough!"

Rika just giggles at the excited voice, since it's really quite different from what she expected.

Meanwhile, VIVIT face palms herself with four of her fingers while shaking her head and sighing in a disappointed way and says "don't you get tired of that? There really aren't customers coming, you know!"

The girl comes into full view with a scowl on her face.

She is a slender woman with blue eyes, long black hair tied up with a blue ribbon on the back, wearing a long sleeved white kimono-like shirt and long red maiden pants; a basic shrine maiden outfit.

The girl says in an annoyed tone of voice "ah shut up VIVIT, I am not talking to you!"

She turns to Rika with a happy smile and says "I am talking to this beautiful angel who came to this shrine to visit."

Before VIVIT could snap a comeback, Rika bows to her and says "how are you doing? My name is Rika Onkamikami. Nice to meet you miss…"

The shrine maiden then says with a proud voice "Hirano! Hirano Sakurasaki, nice to meet you miss Rika!"

Rika responds with a smile "the pleasure is all mine!" and then asks, with an innocent questioning voice "may I offer a prayer to the shrine please?"

Before she could get an answer, the girl now named Hirano scans her face for a while before waving her hands close to Rika's face, thinking that Rika can't see her, however Rika fees that and asks "miss Hirano?" which startles the Hirano close to her falling, but she balances herself, then feeling a little embarrassed she says "ahh, sorry about that!"

She returns normal and sounding worried she asks "are you ok? I mean, why cover your eyes with a cloth? Unless you're not really seeing me?"

Rika face twists with a very saddened expression which didn't go unnoticed by both before she smiles again and says "it's alright, it's true. I can't really see you, but I can feel what you're doing."

Hirano has an apologetic look before she says "I am sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you."

Before Rika could say it was ok, she heard a smacking noise, then VIVIT shouting "that's what happens when you run your mouth wildly or take rash action, geez!"

Hirano then turns to her with a vain pulsating on her head and shouts back "and your no help at all! You just watch things go Wrong and then you go fix it by blaming me!" then they both start to argue, with Rika giggling the whole time at what's happening in front of her.

It reminds her of how her master and her friend, Marisa, used to talk in what little times they were together.

Then after a happy giggle that gets their attention Rika says "you both seem like such close friends!"

They both look at each other in silence before both turn their heads away with a "hmph" which makes Rika giggle even more.

-

After both of them calm down, only exchanging glances for brief moments, Hirano sitting there with VIVIT at the shrine's edge, stares at Rika for a while as she prays at the shrine's monument, then speaks to VIVIT in a serious manner "she isn't a normal girl you know. That's obvious because of those wings on her back"

VIVIT smirks at her and says "so you noticed? I kind of thought you were too thick headed to notice that. But at least this shows me you do have a brain and eyes to see as well as I."

Hirano looks at her even more seriously this time, then says "jokes aside, from what I can see, until now she seems to have had a rough life, and even now though, she is brave enough to try and deal with it by herself, and to that I must say she needs a praise."

At that moment VIVIT's eyes show a small glimmer of sadness before she just nods.

Hirano looks at her one more time before getting up from where she sat and dusts herself gently before she walks to Rika, who takes notice of someone walking behind her.

She turns around and says "there! All finished. I hope this prayer reaches."

With a large grin on her face, Hirano says "I am sure it will." then asks in a simple yet friendly manner "care to spar with me for a while? I mean it would help sharpen your sense even further so you can be capable of defending yourself and those you care about."

Rika doesn't move for a while, but then she slowly nods her head in confirmation and at that Hirano smiles wide and says in a friendly tone "trust me, you won't regret it."

Rika, trusting in her words, went with her to the back of the shrine where there's a large field. A good place for battling and training.

Rika suddenly notices that she didn't have her family's sword with her and almost panics until she heard a deep voice in her head.

It wasn't talking to her yet she could understand what it says.

The voice sounded like a whale's voice from deep seas, a very calming voice, yet it held power and wisdom behind it.

Once again, Rika hears sound of the Messias Draconis, also known as the Savior Dragon, who now resides inside her family sword.

Rika focuses her mind and listens to what it says.

She turns around to her teacher, and with a soft voice, she says "thank you for taking care of my sword while I wasn't there, and thank you for bringing it here with you!"

VIVIT is again surprised and she voices her concern to her apprentice, asking "how were you able to figure out that I had that sword?"

Rika makes a small chuckle before answering "you could say that me and my family's sword share strong bond with each other." making VIVIT smile at how strong she has become, feeling proud of what she's become.

She approaches Rika with the sword on her hand and gives it to her.

Rika accepts it with an appreciative "thanks" and holds the sword close to her side with a ready stance, although she couldn't really see.

She will have to try and overcome any obstacle, not just for herself, but also for her master and the other world, and with a new found determination she says in a voice of conviction "I am ready miss Hirano!"

Hirano just smiles at the face that Rika made and replies in a happy but serious tone "that's more like it! Get ready!" and soon they both begin their training.

-

It has been about 6 hours since they started, and although Hirano isn't tired at all, she's stressed herself from all the holding back while against Rika, and only gets more serious on her whenever she gets better.

Rika at first was struggling to just sense the attacks coming, but she stayed determined to it, and every time it seems like she got the hang of it, things get harder on her, and she tries again to adjust to the battle and work her way through it.

After a while Rika figured that Hirano wasn't really fighting at her full power. She was holding back as to train her as she herself told her, and now they seem to be at a better, steady pace in fighting.

Rika repelling every single attack coming at her and waiting for her chance for the enemy to close in and score a hit, and Hirano with her amulets and charms set fires every now and then to change the pace and the range of the attacks in order to make Rika more used to random patterns.

Of course, Rika sometimes goes on the offensive and attack, but not very often, and Hirano, with each passing moment gets more excited at the girl in front of her and how she learns so quickly and flawlessly.

She wonders how would she fight if she were at full power and back in action.

While she wonders that however, she shoots some stray amulets that move at a higher speed then needed, and Rika barely dodges and repels some of them, but in the end she gets hit and falls to the ground.

VIVIT approaches Hirano with a dark aura around her and in a bottled angry tone she says "how… many… times… have I… told you… NOT TO GO WILD AND HURT SOMEONE!!"

Rika couldn't see what happened next, but she could clearly hear some exploding noises and the sound of Hirano, screaming "KYA!!" many times over, accompanied by some fast sentence afterward that seem to be an apology attempt, but they fail, and is shortly followed by another wave of exploding sounds.

Rika manages to get up slowly and in a soft voice, due to her being so tired she says "please, don't hurt miss Hirano. She was just trying to help me, and I don't think she meant to hurt me or anything. If anything, I should be the one to thank her for taking time to help me."

Somehow Hirano recovers suddenly and jumps back up from the ground where VIVIT was standing before, then she smiles brightly at Rika and in a high pitched and friendly voice she says "you know, you're too nice and sweet to be the apprentice of barbaric woman like VI…"

Before she could even finish, a punch is delivered at her jaw line and she's sent back flying to her own shrine.

VIVIT takes the moment to look at Rika and sees she is somewhat sweating and tired, so she calls in a hard voice "HIRANO!! Could you please show Rika to the shower so she can take one, maybe even a hot bath of you can arrange one!"

Hirano springs back up again like nothing ever happened to her and stands right next to the two girls then says in a cheery voice "why of course, let me help little Rika. Please hold my hand and follow me!"

Rika takes the hand that was offered in front of her and goes to where the shower is.

Hirano left her when she enters and looks at VIVIT while asking "if I'm guessing this right, she would use one of MY own clothes to wear, right~?"

VIVIT smiles widely and nods at her. Hirano doesn't say a word, but looks at where the shower is in silence for a while then says a nostalgic voice "she is really strong, not letting a chance for fear or any other hindering feelings to affect her… Sometimes… you wish she would just let go and be free from all this pain…"

VIVIT stares at where Hirano is looking and says in a sad voice "she suffered so much… yet she doesn't blame it on anyone, and she keeps on going with that all the time… Sometimes you wish she would let her heart rest… even for a small while…"

At that time Rika just remembered that she didn't have a change of clothes, but before she could ask anyone outside for anything she hears VIVIT voice calling to her and telling her "Rika~, once you finish up I put in a set of fresh clothes that you might actually like, so feel free to use them."

Rika didn't know what VIVIT meant by that but she heard the clothing set slide in before the door closes again.

She dries herself up and goes to pick the clothing, and once she feels it all over she recognizes it as normal shrine maiden's clothes. She smiles softly at it and thanks VIVIT in her heart for that.

-

Rika walks out of the shower, looking brighter this time and very refreshed.

VIVIT and Hirano see her coming and take on how she looks now.

She looks the same but with the her big ribbon that has the fire painting and the kanji for "will of fire" now around her neck like a scarf, instead of being neatly tied like a ribbon, and its ends now hanging on both sides of her neck to the back.

The yin-yang sapphire that was set in the middle of that ribbon is now hanging around her neck like a necklace, and she still kept the piece of cloth around her eyes to cover them from any harm.

VIVIT giggles a bit before saying "even though you changed your style, you still look very beautiful. And with your wings, you look more like an angel now."

VIVIT looks at Hirano for a moment before they both nods and say at the same time "plus, you look cooler now too!"

Rika couldn't help but blush while she held both of her hands on her cheeks and flap her wings in what look like happy bliss, even though she doesn't know that she did it.

At this, both of girls now hold their noses with their hands as small twin-trails of blood run down from their noses.

Both girls think at the same time "she is just too sweet and CUTE!!"

Before she can get close and hug her for life, Rika hears the familiar sound of a gap opening, and hears someone's footsteps getting closer to her.

She then hears a voice that she had really missed these past 3 and a half days, saying "oh, it so~ great I found you. Reimu is worried sick about you and she took it all out on me... just because I forgot to tell her you were coming late. Now let's try this again, are you finished here?"

Rika recognizes the voice of Yukari talking to her, but then she looks at where she thought were VIVIT and Hirano were standing before Hirano says "amazing! Opening a forced rift in space without much trouble and walking through it like its nothing!! You sure are strong!"

Yukari opens the fan to cover her smile and says "why of course. I am the sage of all youkai. I should be at least be this strong, right?"

VIVIT then interrupts her and Hirano before she could respond and while bowing she says to Yukari "please, take care of her there! She's been through so much in this life already! I… I don't want her to suffer anymore! Could you at least promise me that?"

Yukari smile vanishes as she says in a even tone "the one who takes care of her is her master, not me. But so far she had done a very admirable job at it. You should be proud of your apprentice. She has the respect of one of the most powerful beings in Gensokyo... But not to stray from the subject, yes, she will be taken care of. She is part of our world now, and will play her role in it as she is needed to, so you don't need to worry about her, because…… Gensokyo itself will protect her… It's part of her family now."

Rika couldn't help but let small tears escape her closed eyes as she cries silently at what she just heard.

That she was family to them meant so much that she didn't know how to thank them for it.

But she steels herself as she always does and says "miss VIVIT it's ok. I will be fine. And this time I will be able to protect and help all of those that mean a lot to me, and I WILL protect that world the same way as my master does!"

Hirano fails to read the mood in the atmosphere and asks "miss... err... Yukari, right? Why are you covered in bandages like that?"

VIVIT looks at Hirano with contempt as she continues to stare at the bandages around Yukari's head and neck, then Rika suddenly gasps and asks "miss Yukari, are you alright!?"

Yukari sighs and softly says "kids these days."

-

Rika reaches for her own pocket and feels a small jeweled necklace that she had prepared as a gift to apologize for all she had done, and to somewhat ask for forgiveness.

She then thinks about what she will say to her master, and how she would react. Would she hate her?

However, she doesn't let those thoughts get to her, and for the last time she resolves herself to change and she will start from now.

She then says "alright miss Yukari. I am ready!"

After that, while smiling angelically she says "miss VIVIT, miss Hirano, thank you for all you have done for me, I will make sure to repay all this kindness someday and…"

Before she can finish her sentence, VIVIT hugs Rika tightly and says "please! Stay one more night. Please!"

Rika is lost for words so Yukari answers for her "no, we are leaving right now! Do you have any idea what Reimu will do to me if we...?"

Before SHE can finish her sentence, Hirano raises a bottle of sake in front of Yukari's face and says "we could have a bit of a wild night, my friend..."

She smiles mischievously while Yukari's face shows an internal struggle.

A fun night filled with sake and a following day of possible consequences, or take Rika back and be done with it.

A few moments later, Rika and VIVIT sit just outside the shrine while Hirano and Yukari drink away the night, then Rika asks "miss VIVIT, why'd you insist?"

VIVIT wraps her arm around Rika's shoulder and says "I won't get to see you again for a long time. Please allow me your company for just a little longer."

Rika smiles as she turns her head to VIVIT and says "thank you... miss VIVIT."

Rika feels her heart fill with happiness. Again she is shown that no matter what, those around her lover her unconditionally, and this means more to her than anything in the world.

The next morning, Rika and a slightly drunken Yukari stand just outside the shrine, while VIVIT and Hirano stand inside, staring back at the two girls.

VIVIT is doing her best to stop herself from crying, while Hirano simply smiles.

VIVIT can no longer hold it in, and while crying she grabs Rika and hugs her tightly, saying "please… Just be safe and at peace. That's all I need from you!"

Rika smiles back while being hugged and nods while VIVIT feels it before she breaks the hug.

Rika feels something flying to her and she picks it on instinct, she then hears Hirano say "here! I heard your master is one hell of a shrine maiden right? Show her this scroll. It's called Kekai no Gashi, and you can guess what it's used for from its name. Good luck, and be safe, child!"

Rika approaches Hirano and gives her a hug of her own, flapping her wings at the same time while mouthing a small "thank you."

She then steps back a little then takes her family sword, unsheathes it, then grabs a small portion of her hair and cuts away, then a small breeze takes it away.

Her hair now reaches down to half of her back, and with a small smile she says "this is my proof of change… for the better!"

She sheathes her sword back, then turns to Yukari and after feeling another small breeze that passes by Yukari before herself, she asks "ahh, miss Yukari? why is your head covered up like that?"

Yukari shivers at that question and feels the wound on her head throb more, even though its covered with bandages, and says in a frightened tone "please don't remind me of this. The memory is still fresh."

Hirano looks with shock at Rika and asks "wait, didn't I ask that just last night? And how the HELL did you see all that just now? Hey... are you listening to me? Don't ignore me!"

Completely ignoring Hirano, Yukari quickly grabs Rika and tosses her with one hand inside the gap before she herself goes inside it, but before she enters she looks at both girls, who didn't get to say another good bye to Rika, and says in an even tone "you should have more faith in her. It's what this world lacks, and you, shrine maiden, should know that better than anybody else, right?"

Hirano looks to the ground with a sad expression before she nods.

Yukari then says "then it's a start, so try to change how people view things. Maybe, just maybe you will see the world in a new light as well."

She then bows to both in a fast fashion and says "well then, take care... both of you, and good day."

She enters her gap and closes it right after saying that.

A small moment of silence passes by before VIVIT says "well, guess it's back to the old days again huh?"

Mysteriously, she holds a large bottle of sake in her hands and while smiling she says to Hirano "a drink maybe?"

Hirano looks at her and replies "you bet!", then both sit on the shrine's porch, drinking sake away and reminiscing on their old days to no one but their own.

And so the day goes by, closing the curtains for a time of change and opening again to the same days they lived on.

But who knows, there might be another change some day. For those two can only hope and work for that.

-

Into the next world…… again…

At the Hakurei shrine, everyone keeps silent after Rika finishes her tale.

Mima breaks that silence by saying "that surely explains a lot."

Reimu replies "yeah, but I still don't understand why do you have to do this!? Rika, just say the word and I'll have this battle cancelled."

Rika springs to her feet and says "my lady, I can't! She'll never let us live in peace until I teach her I am as valuable as anyone! No! I want to teach that girl that just because she has a pretty family name, doesn't mean she is better, or worse than anyone!"

Reimu looks away, feeling a little saddened, then sighs and says "Tenshi's an idiot, but she can be dangerous if you're not careful. Rika, if I even THINK you are in danger I am stopping the fight!"

Rika places both hands on her chest, smiling angelically at her mistress, a small tear escaping her left light-blue eye and says "my lady... thank you... for caring so much about me."

Reimu closes her eyes and turns to face the ground, then smiles and turns her sight to Rika, walks to her and wraps her arms around Rika's neck, saying "come on. It's almost time."

Rika giggles and says "right! Let's go!"

Suika, Mima, Reimu and Rika leave the shrine with haste, closing the sliding door behind them.

A short moment passes then Reimu opens the doors again and quickly heads toward a small cabinet.

She hurriedly rummages around, then pulls out a golden whistle, saying to herself "there you are. It's dangerous to leave you alone here like this..."

From outside, Rika shouts "my lady, is everything alright?"

Reimu flinches, almost dropping the whistle, but manages to grab it before it falls, then she sighs as she swipes her forehead, then pockets the whistle before shouting back "sorry! I forgot something important..."

-

My Enlightening Visit Home, My Lady Reimu... The End.

Seihou Characters and Scenario are a collaboration of ZUN and Amusement Makers

Touhou Characters and Scenario belong to ZUN –Team Shanghai Alice-

Rika was created by Snapshot 2010

Written by

Snapshot 2010

Edited and posted by

Willie G.R

* * *

**A/N:**

**And with this, the curtain is now open for my next Sukima. Honestly, I didn't think I had it in me, but I managed to edit these chapters well. Now you should all understand why Rika changes so much before returning to her lady Reimu, not to mention her drastic physical change, which to me she seems cuter. I wanna hug her and pet those wings too. Ah well, on to my next work. Oh, please feed me some reviews. I'm starving here! Oh well, thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed, and see you on the next Sukima, which I am EAGER to begin and post!**


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